Chapter 3 - A Crack in the Perfect Picture
Damian did not argue after Victoria refused.
That frightened her more than anger would have.
He kissed her forehead, closed the folder and said they could discuss it later.
By noon, he had become the perfect fiancé again.
He sent flowers to her office. He canceled a meeting so he could attend her prenatal appointment. He told the doctor he worried Victoria was working too hard.
Serena supported him.
“She barely sleeps,” her stepmother said. “Sometimes she becomes confused.”
Victoria turned toward her.
“I’m not confused.”
Serena laughed softly.
“Of course not, sweetheart. I only meant exhausted.”
The doctor recommended shorter workdays, but he did not question Victoria’s judgment or health. Still, Damian requested a written copy of every recommendation.
That evening, Victoria discovered three confidential board files missing from her home office.
They concerned the redevelopment of Vale Harbor, the company’s largest project.
Only four people had access.
Victoria.
Elias.
Damian.
And Serena, who still held a ceremonial board position from her marriage to Edward.
Victoria called Damian.
He claimed he had borrowed the files to study them.
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“I didn’t think I needed permission from the woman I’m about to marry.”
His tone was playful, but something beneath it felt sharp.
When he returned the files, one document had been photocopied.
Victoria noticed because her father had left a tiny blue mark beside the signature line. The original still had it.
The copy did not.
That night, Damian slept beside her while Victoria stared at the ceiling.
At 2:13 a.m., his phone lit up.
The message preview contained only six words.
She still trusts you. Be patient.
The sender’s name was hidden behind a single initial.
S.
Victoria’s first thought was Serena.
Her second was that she was becoming paranoid.
May you like
Then Damian woke, snatched the phone and turned it facedown.
👉 Victoria tried to dismiss one suspicious message—until she found Damian leaving Serena’s private wing before sunrise.
